American LiteratureAmerican novels for highschoolers and parents alike. Moby Dick "Extraordinary. Who would have looked for philosophy in whales, or for poetry in blubber?" ~ London John Bull, 1851 "Intriguing, haunting, suggestive, ambiguousthe narrator does not say that his name is Ishmael. He summons the reader to call him by that name. And in so doing, the narrator invites the reader not merely into a story but an epic, a tale that encompasses life, death, the

American novels for highschoolers and parents alike.

Moby-Dick

"Extraordinary. Who would have looked for philosophy in whales, or for poetry in blubber?" ~ London John Bull, 1851

"Intriguing, haunting, suggestive, ambiguous—the narrator does not say that his name is Ishmael. He summons the reader to call him by that name. And in so doing, the narrator invites the reader not merely into a story but an epic, a tale that encompasses life, death, the universe, God, angels, demons, and man caught in the eye of that cosmic hurricane. If you consent to call him Ishmael, you consent to this voyage." -From Toby Sumpter's Introduction

Ishmael has always been a wanderer, but as soon as he meets the mysterious harpooner Queequeg, he is drawn aboard the Pequod and under the sway of the one-legged Captain Ahab. Ahab killed a whale and took its jawbone as his new leg—but the jaw wasn't from the monstrous white whale that crippled him. Some of the Pequod’s whaling crew are there for the money, some for adventure, and some because they don’t know any other life, but as the voyage progresses Ishmael realizes that Captain Ahab is using them all to find and butcher Moby Dick. 

This wide-ranging Canon Classic is part adventure story, part nature documentary, and part discourse on the nature of Man and his enmity with God. The Canon Classics series presents the most definitive works of Western literature in a colorful, well-crafted, and affordable way. Unlike many other thrift editions, our classics feature individualized designs that prioritize readability by means of proper margins, leading, characters per line, font, trim size, etc. Each book’s materials and layout combine to make the classics a simple and striking addition to classrooms and homes, ideal for introducing the best of literary culture and human experience to the next generation.

This Worldview Edition features an introduction divided into sections on The World Around, About the Author, What Other Notables Said, Setting, Characters, & Plot Summary, Worldview Analysis, and 21 Discussion Questions & Answers.

The Scarlet Letter

“The Scarlet Letter is so terrible in its pictures of diseased human nature as to produce most questionable delight. The reader's interest never flags for a moment.”-Anthony Trollope

"Everyone thinks they know what the Puritans were like, and a big part of the reason why they think they know this can be found in this book, The Scarlet Letter." -From Douglas Wilson's Introduction

Hester Prynne is an adulteress, and the bright red ‘A’ sewed on to her dress forever separates her from the other sad-colored inhabitants of her New England hometown. But no one else knows who the father of Hester’s pixie-like child is—and that sordid mystery eats at the townspeople. Months stretch into years for the uncomplaining and dignified Hester, providing some of her begrudging neighbors with ample opportunity for prying, hypocrisy, contempt, and a whole welter of the darkest of human sins, including an all-consuming desire for revenge.

This Canon Classic is a novel of two intense natures, unflinchingly grim and melancholic yet capable of passionate and unrestrained emotion. The Canon Classics series presents the most definitive works of Western literature in a colorful, well-crafted, and affordable way. Unlike many other thrift editions, our classics are printed on thicker text stock and feature individualized designs that prioritize readability by means of proper margins, leading, characters per line, font, trim size, etc. Each book’s materials and layout combine to make the classics a simple and striking addition to classrooms and homes, ideal for introducing the best of literary culture and human experience to the next generation.

This Worldview Edition features an introduction divided into sections on The World Around, About the Author, What Other Notables Said, Setting, Characters, & Plot Summary, Worldview Analysis, and 21 Discussion Questions & Answers.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

"Ah, childhood. Boys. Long summer days, barefoot, fishing, swimming, laughter, pocket knives, dirty hands, dirty faces, sweaty brows, trouble, joy. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is an unmistakable celebration of youth and in particular boyhood." -From Toby Sumpter's Introduction

"I suppose we all have our foibles. I like the exact word, and clarity of statement, and here and there a touch of good grammar for picturesqueness." -Mark Twain

Tom Sawyer lives a carefree life in the town of St. Petersburg on the Mississippi River, only needing to outwit his strict Aunt Polly or his petulant classmates upon occasion. But Tom and his best friend Huck get into real trouble when they witness a grave-robbery-turned-murder, and Tom's testimony makes him Injun Joe's next target. Not even a killer with a vendetta can halt Tom's efforts to win pretty Betty Thatcher's heart, though—especially once reports of buried gold and unexplored caves arise. 

This Canon Classic has hilarious helpings of treasure-hunting, dangers, and hijinks. No wonder all the kids like it. The Canon Classics series presents the most definitive works of Western literature in a colorful, well-crafted, and affordable way. Unlike many other thrift editions, our classics feature individualized designs that prioritize readability by means of proper margins, leading, characters per line, font, trim size, etc. Each book’s materials and layout combine to make the classics a simple and striking addition to classrooms and homes, ideal for introducing the best of literary culture and human experience to the next generation.

This Worldview Edition features an introduction divided into sections on The World Around, About the Author, What Other Notables Said, Setting, Characters, & Plot Summary, Worldview Analysis, and 21 Discussion Questions & Answers.

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

"If Twain was hinting that Huck Finn had no worldview or deeper meaning in it whatsoever, then he was trying to pull the wool over your eyes—because no great stories are shallow." ~From Douglas Wilson's Introduction

"All modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn." -Ernest Hemingway

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn tells of Huck Finn's unlikely camaraderie with a slave named Jim. The boy is running from an abusive father, the man is running to freedom, and at first the Mississippi River seems a sure path to deliverance for the both of them. But, ready or not, the river brings them steamboats and slavecatchers, predatory con men, feuding families of the Old South, treasure, and very few friends. Huck comes to realize that civilization might be even harder to navigate than the Great River itself.

This Canon Classic is one of the best adventure stories ever written—full of humor, intrigue, and action—and a blisteringly satirical social commentary at the same time. The Canon Classics series presents the most definitive works of Western literature in a colorful, well-crafted, and affordable way. Unlike many other thrift editions, our classics feature individualized designs that prioritize readability by means of proper margins, leading, characters per line, font, trim size, etc. Each book’s materials and layout combine to make the classics a simple and striking addition to classrooms and homes, ideal for introducing the best of literary culture and human experience to the next generation.

This Worldview Edition features an introduction divided into sections on The World Around, About the Author, What Other Notables Said, Setting, Characters, & Plot Summary, Worldview Analysis, and 21 Discussion Questions & Answers.